Many pickup trucks and sports utility vehicles (SUV's) are equipped with a towing package that includes a hitch to allow the vehicle to tow trailers of various types, such as utility trailers, pop-up travel trailers, horse trailers, etc. The hitch is installed securely to the underside or bumper at the back of the towing vehicle with a tubular hitch receiver extending outwardly (distally) from the center of the rear of the vehicle. The hitch receiver, a square metal tube (typically having a 1.24 inch, 2 inch, or 2.5-inch central opening), is configured to receive a metal ball mount, usually of steel or aluminum.
The distal portion of the ball mount has a hole that receives a hitch ball that serves to connect the hitch with the coupler on the trailer that is to be pulled. The proximal portion of the ball mount is a square metal tube sized to be inserted into the open cavity at the distal end of the square metal receiver tube. The receiver and ball mount are both configured with opposing side holes that, when the ball mount is inserted into the receiver tube, are aligned for receiving a pin. After the pin is inserted through the first set of aligned holes on the first sides of the receiver and ball mount, it is pushed through the open receiver tube and inserted through the second set of aligned side holes on the opposing sides of the receiver and the ball mount. It is then typically secured by a clip, but it may be locked with a locking mechanism.
When the hitch is not in use, the ball and ball mount are often removed to significantly reduce the distance the hitch assembly projects distally from the towing vehicle; this reduction in the outward projection reduces accidental injury or damage to the hitch assembly or to other objects and to people. The ball and ball mount are easily removed by removing the pin from the two sets of aligned holes on the sides of the ball mount and receiver, and then pulling the ball mount from the inside of the receiver.
Because hitches are quite common on various towing vehicles, there has been significant demand for decorative items that are attachable to the hitch. Some conventional decorative hitch items are designed to cover the ball when the ball and ball mount are installed in the receiver. Additionally, numerous tube-inserted devices have been developed that are inserted into the open cavity at the distal end of the square metal receiver tube after the removal of the ball mount with the ball, since it is easy, advantageous, and common to remove the ball mount and ball when not in use.
These decorative tube-inserted prior art devices serve the purpose of concealing the open cavity and the metal edges of the tube that are left exposed when the ball mount is removed, but these tube-inserted prior art devices have disadvantages. All the tube-inserted devices suffer from the disadvantage that they must be removed when the ball mount is inserted. It requires time and effort to remove, store, and to reinstall the tube-inserted device upon removal of the ball and ball mount. Further, during the time the tube-inserted device is not in use it may become lost or damaged and, thus, prevent reinstallation when the ball mount is again removed after usage. Additionally, many of these tube-inserted devices are formed of multiple pieces that are complicated and/or costly to manufacture, that tend to break, and that are easily lost when the device is stored during usage of the ball mount and ball. Some of the tube-inserted devices are not easy to install.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device that adds an aesthetic element to the receiver and does not have to be removed whether the ball mount and ball are installed or not installed, and yet is easy to install, is easy and economical to manufacture, and is formed of a single piece of material.